by Ned Joel Block, Owen Flanagan , Guven Guzeldere
Amazon.com Almost everyone agrees that we possess consciousness, but as this book demonstrates, that's where the agreement ends. What can we say about the mind without fear of contradiction? Not much, and that's how the study of consciousness stands out from other scientific and philosophical endeavors - the field's great minds argue cogently with little common ground, and nothing is safe from questioning. For the adventurous and thoughtful reader, this is a paradise on the frontiers of knowledge. The Nature of Consciousness presumes a basic familiarity with science and philosophy, as well as a willingness to think and read carefully. With articles by such bright lights as Daniel Dennett, John Searle, Patricia Smith Churchland, and even the great William James, it provides both a comprehensive overview of the field and in-depth analyses of such issues as the mind-body problem and how we can study a phenomenon that may not be observed directly. It is best read as an update on Western scientific and philosophical replies to one of the great questions: Who are we? Given the universal appeal of such a question, the reader will undoubtedly find much within to challenge, puzzle, frustrate, and delight. - Rob Lightner Tim Crane, Times Higher Education Supplement,
JAN. 30, 1998
Book Description
Intended for anyone attempting to find their way through the large and confusingly interwoven philosophical literature on consciousness, this reader brings together most of the principal texts in philosophy (and a small set of related key works in neuropsychology) on consciousness through 1997, and includes some forthcoming articles. Its extensive coverage strikes a balance between seminal works of the past few decades and the leading edge of philosophical research on consciousness. As no other anthology currently does, The Nature of Consciousness provides a substantial introduction to the field, and imposes structure on a vast and complicated literature, with sections covering stream of consciousness, theoretical issues, consciousness and representation, the function of consciousness, subjectivity and the explanatory gap, the knowledge argument, qualia, and monitoring conceptions of consciousness. Of the 49 contributions, 18 are either new or have been adapted from a previous publication. Contributors: David Armstrong. Ned Block. Tyler Burge. David Chalmers. Jennifer Church. Patricia Churchland. Paul Churchland. Martin Davies. Daniel Dennett. Fred Dretske. Owen Flanagan. Alvin Goldman. Guven Guzeldere. Gilbert Harman. Frank Jackson. William James. Marcel Kinsbourne. Joseph Levine. David Lewis. Brian Loar. William Lycan. Colin McGinn. Thomas Nagel. Christopher Peacocke. Georges Rey. David Rosenthal. John Searle. Sydney Shoemaker. Michael Tye. Robert van Gulick. Stephen White. The publisher \, November 25, 1997
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